FA Youth Development Proposals – Final Recommendations

FA Youth Development Proposals
More and Better Players Through
Child-Friendly Football
The FA Group Strategic Plan
Delivering the goal of “Football for everyone” (better players and more people playing).
The FA National Game Strategy 2011 - 2015
Focus on development of young players through appropriate coaching and competition
to maximise their enjoyment and development.
The FA Youth Development Review
Delivering Recommendation A and G – Format pathway and Relative age effect.
Whole Game approach to international team success
1
3
Young player
development
2 Elite Player
Performance Plan
Coaching Strategy
4
International
Team
Development
Key Principles
• To implement a progressive, phased and developmental player pathway.
• The value of small-sided games and flexibility for stakeholders is key to
meet today’s societal demands.
• To provide scope for CFA’s and other organisations to support transition
points remains important for developing better players.
• To implement a modern and cutting edge approach to competition that puts
the learner at the heart.
• Complement developments in coach education that offer a rich and
authentic learning experience for players.
• Harmonised by The Future Game, outlining key approaches to
delivery.
Consultation and Research
16 Regional ‘Your Kids Your Say’ Roadshows
All eight County FA regions, inc. CFA CEO’s, CFA Football Development staff
Over 300 Youth Leagues
Over 1,000 Youth Club Administrators
Over 4,000 volunteers and coaches
50 groups of 8-12 year old Children
FA National and Regional coaches
Premier League and Football League Academy staff
Academic books and research articles
Football experts and child development experts
Other European countries
Formats of
the game
Flexible
Competition
Relative
Age Effect
Development
of MiniSoccer
Key Outcomes
• Execute clear and structured guidelines on the maximum number of
players per team for youth football.
• Implement a developmental process for ‘playing up’ at all age groups,
supported by rules, to grow and retain participation.
• Defined role for CFA’s to support transition to develop better players.
• Guidelines for competition structures for U7 – U11 age groups.
• Prohibit 8-month long seasons for U7-U11 children.
• New approach to competitive football; delivering an educational model to
support learning and development.
• Increase participation by retaining more summer-born children.
• Deliver against two key National Game Strategy outcomes.
Formats of the Game
Format (maximum format but can play
smaller numbers)
Ball Size
Pitch Size
(yards)
Maximum Goal Size
(feet)
U7
5v5
3
30x20 to 40x30
12 x 6
U8
5v5
3
30x20 to 40x30
12 x 6
U9
7v7
3
50x30 to 60x40
12 x 6
U10
U11
7v7
9v9
(Primary Schools 7 v 7)
4
4
(4)
50x30 to 60x40
70x40 to 80x50
(50x30 to 60x40)
12 x 6
16 x 7 to 21 x 7
(12 x 6)
U12
9v9
4
70x40 to 80x50
16 x 7 to 21 x 7
U13
9 v 9 or 11 v 11
4
90x50 to 100x60
21 x 7 to 24 x 8
U14
9 v 9 or 11 v 11
4
90x50 to 100x60
21 x 7 to 24 x 8
U15
9 v 9 or 11 v 11
5
90x50 to 110x70
24 x 8
U16
9 v 9 or 11 v 11
5
90x50 to 110x70
24 x 8
U17
11 v 11
5
90x50 to 110x70
24 x 8
U18
11 v 11
5
90x50 to 110x70
24 x 8
Age
Formats of the Game: evidence
• Academic research into value of small-sided games.
– Technical development benefits
– Skill acquisition benefits
• Less players = more touches, simplified tactical environment making
game visually clearer for young people.
• Feedback from children.
– “Why do I have to defend a goal the same size of Petr Cech?
(U11, West Riding)
• Feedback from coaches.
– “Quality movements at higher intensity levels providing more
physiological benefit as part of long-term player development”
Formats of the Game: phasing-in process
Season 2013/14 (maximum format
but can play smaller numbers)
Under 7’s
5v5
Under 8’s
7v7
Under 9’s
7v7
Under 10’s
7v7
Under 11’s
9 v 9 Youth Clubs
Under 12’s
Optional 9 v 9 or 11 v 11
Under 13’s
11 v 11
Season 2014/15 (maximum format
but can play smaller numbers)
Under 7’s
5v5
Under 8’s
5v5
Under 9’s
7v7
Under 10’s
7v7
Under 11’s
9 v 9 Youth Clubs
Under 12’s
9v9
Under 13’s
Optional 9 v 9 or 11 v 11
Season 2015/16 (maximum format
but can play smaller numbers)
Under 7’s
5v5
Under 8’s
5v5
Under 9’s
7v7
Under 10’s
7v7
Under 11’s
9 v 9 Youth Clubs
Under 12’s
9v9
Under 13’s
Optional 9 v 9 or 11 v 11
Flexible Competition
From 2013/14, child-friendly competition only at U7, U8 and U9
From 2014/15, child-friendly competition only at U7, U8, U9 and U10
From 2015/16, child-friendly competition only at U7, U8, U9, U10 and U11
•
•
•
•
•
•
Provides variety in the competition programme.
Ownership and flexibility for Youth Leagues.
Focus on learning the game, without pressure of win-at-all costs.
Focus on periods of development matches, interspersed with competition.
No focus on league tables and no three points every week.
Learning to win still important but in an age-appropriate context.
New process will actually increase competition for more teams.
Flexible Competition: evidence
• Academic research indicates over-competitive focus leads to increased
pressure and increased drop out from the game.
• The win-at-all-costs culture is stifling development, learning and
enjoyment.
• Feedback from children.
– “If we win, my dad lets me stay up late, if we lose he makes me go to
bed early” (U11, Liverpool)
– “I don't like it when we try something new and it doesn't go right first
time and the adults shout at me” (U10, Worcestershire)
• Feedback from coaches.
– “There is too much pressure on the children to have to win, the
parents have changed attitude now we are U9 and are desperate
to win which affects the boys” (U9 coach, Sussex)
Flexible Competition
Current Model – One season from September to April
Three
Mini
Seasons
One division:
One-day knockout competition
Handicap system for the teams
Top half/Bottom half competition
Round Robin three-way competition
Futsal finals day
Development matches – learning the game
Flexible Competition
Current Model – One season from September to April
Three
Mini
Seasons
Multi divisions:
One-day knockout competition
World Cup / Champions League format
Cup / Vase / Shield events for all teams
Bottom three from A in with top 3 from B
Chance to see ability of teams in different
divisions against each other
Development matches – learning the game
Flexible Competition: Phasing-in Process
Season 2013/14
Season 2014/15
Season 2015/16
Season 2016/17
Under 7’s
Flexible Competition
Under 7’s
Flexible Competition
Under 7’s
Flexible Competition
Under 7’s
Flexible Competition
Under 8’s
Flexible Competition
Under 8’s
Flexible Competition
Under 8’s
Flexible Competition
Under 8’s
Flexible Competition
Under 9’s
Flexible Competition
Under 9’s
Flexible Competition
Under 9’s
Flexible Competition
Under 9’s
Flexible Competition
Under 10’s
Leagues Tables
Under 10’s
Flexible Competition
Under 10’s
Flexible Competition
Under 10’s
Flexible Competition
Under 11’s
Leagues Tables
Under 11’s
Leagues Tables
Under 11’s
Flexible Competition
Under 11’s
Flexible Competition
Under 12’s
Leagues Tables
Under 12’s
Leagues Tables
Under 12’s
Leagues Tables
Under 12’s
Leagues Tables
Relative Age Effect
Split the selection year to have two bias points:
School football – September to August (no change)
Youth football – January to December
Ensure the pitch guidelines are appropriate to age of the child playing the
game.
Education - Make more people aware of the issue so the selection field
doesn’t have a bias from the start.
Relative Age Effect: evidence
• Academic research indicates:
– Over-emphasis on September to December born-children in school, club
and academy football teams.
– Summer-born children not entering talented and gifted systems
– Greater drop-out of children born in quarter 4 at every age group U8-U16
• Feedback from Scottish FA having made the change – “increased retention
of summer-born children in club football” (SYFA National Secretary)
• Institute of Fiscal Studies state:
– “the economic consequences facing summer babies will last throughout
their working lives.”
– “...with August-born teenagers 20% more likely to be in vocational
rather than academic study after school.” (2011 Report)
Relative Age Effect: Phasing-in Process
Season 2013/14
Season 2014/15
Season 2015/16
Season 2016/17
Season 2017/18
2007’s
2008’s
2009’s
2010’s
2011’s
Under 8’s
2007’s
2008’s
2009’s
2010’s
Under 9’s
Under 9’s
2007’s
2008’s
2009’s
Under 10’s
Under 10’s
Under 10’s
2007’s
2008’s
Under 11’s
Under 11’s
Under 11’s
Under 11’s
2007’s
Mini-Soccer
Use the half way line for the opposition to drop off to so teams can play out
from the back through Mini-Soccer (U7-U10).
Introduce optional four ¼’s instead of mandatory 2 ½’s.
Introduce optional roll-ins or throw-ins for U7 and U8 children.
Best practice recommendation of a ‘minimum 50% playing time’ for every child.
Timescales
January
March
June
September
2011
2012
2013
2014
Ongoing
Consultation
Jan - September
2011/2012
Season
No Changes
2012/2013
Season
Optional
2013/2014
Season
Mandatory
December
“The difficulty lies not in the new ideas
but escaping from the old ones”
(John Maynard Keynes)
Summary of Recommendations
1. To implement the revised player pathway.
– 5 v 5, 7 v 7, 9 v 9, 11 v 11
2. To implement a child-centred competition programme
– Focus on development and enjoyment
3. To implement an intervention programme for Relative Age Effect
– Retention of players in the game